The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for IndependenceLossing, Benson John
History
The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence
Lossing, Benson John
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
Perils were gathering a fearful web around the brave Montgomery. He
called a council of war, and it was resolved, as a last resort, to make
a regular assault upon the town at different points. The troops were
accordingly ordered to parade in three divisions at two o'clock on the
morning of the 31st of December. All obeyed with alacrity, except three
companies of Arnold's detachment, whose term of service was about
expiring. They threatened to leave the army at once unless transferred
to another command, but the firmness and wisdom of Montgomery restored
order, and they took their places in the ranks. * The New York regiments
and a part of Easton's militia paraded at Holland House, under the
immediate command of Montgomery; the Cambridge detachment and Colonel
Lamb's company of artillerists, with one field piece, at Morgan's
quarters; and the two small corps of Livingston and Brown at their
respective parade-grounds. The plan was, for the first and second
divisions to assault the lower town on opposite sides, and the third,
under Livingston and Brown, to make feigned attacks, from the Plains of
Abraham, upon the upper town, in the neighborhood of St. John's and St.
Louis Gates and Cape Diamond Bastion.
Montgomery, at the head of the first division, descended from the Plains
of Abraham to Wolfe's Cove, south of the city, and commenced his march
toward the lower town by a road (now Champlain Street) that ran along
the margin of the river, under Cape Diamond. Ar-
* The cause of this outbreak is not known. Montgomery, in a letter to
Schuyler (the last he ever wrote), spoke of the occurrence, and
intimated that Major Brown was at the bottom of it. He promised a full
explanation in his next, but, alas! "the next" was never written. It
appears that Arnold had quarreled with Hanchet, one of his captains,
before reaching Point Levi, and two others took sides with the captain.
Brown and Arnold had quarreled at Ticonderoga, and it is supposed that
the former took this opportunity to gall Arnold, by widening the breach
between him and his captains, and endeavoring to get them detached from
Arnold's command and joined to his own.
Montgomery's Approach to Cape Diamond.--Opposing Battery.--His Charge
upon the Battery.--His Death.
198nold, at the head of the second division, advanced from the general
hospital, around the north side of the town, on the St. Charles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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